Journey of the L'Cie
by KSLCross
Summary: Result of too many thoughts. Naruto/Lighting/?maybe? When the Pulse Fal'Cie is discovered in Bodhum, Cocoon will be forever changed. What will Naruto do when his hometown is Purged? What can he do, when he is a Cocoon L'Cie among Pulse L'Cie?
1. Humble Beginnings

AN: I really want to play this game! A crossover game with a legit storyline would be so freaking cool! As with all my other fanfics, these are AU, people. So don't hate if I changed some details, lols. The story will follow a large majority of the storyline, but there are some definite changes. I'm actually watching a rather detailed walk-through version online, so apologies for mistakes, as I haven't had the good fortune to have a PS3 or an XBox myself.

Disclaimer: If I was, then I'd be one rich sonuva-

Begin!

"Fal'Cie, the greater deities that powers all the world, the protectors, the destroyers, the elder brothers and sisters of the human race. They choose what happens in the lives of humans, they mold, manipulate, and change the fates of man. L'Cie, former humans granted a brand that gives the ability to use magic without a mana-drive system. They are not human. They are no longer human once they receive that brand. A target's a target. They are given a focus, if they complete it, they turn to crystal and gain eternal life, but should they fail, and the time granted by the brand runs out, a L'Cie turned into a Cie'th. A monster of a different name and form. Target's a target."

A blond child read an inscription in stone as he sat in the darkness of an unlit area, a ball of fire in his hands, dancing over his fingers and giving the boy warmth.

"Pulse L'Cie are given foci that relate to the destruction of Cocoon. A Sanctum L'Cie are generally charged with the focus to protect Cocoon. I am a target, a Pulse L'Cie with little time left. My brand is due to give out soon, the eye already forming... My focus... is the destruction of both Pulse and Cocoon, so that these Fal'Cie may awaken some sleeping god. They don't care about us, so I will become Cie'th with the satisfaction of knowing that I find meaning, even in their victory. My brother is a Cocoon L'Cie and he has been charged the same. I don't understand. If you're reading this, then know this. Fal'Cie, L'Cie, Cie'th. All-" the fire in his hands flickered out, "Ah... my mana-drive ran out... Now I have to wait to find out... What is this going on about? Geez... Creepy stuff."

He shrugged and stood up before walking over to his right and pressing a dimly-glowing, blue button. A portion of the wall lit up, revealing a doorway that opened up with a mechanical hiss and the boy walked through, metal shutting behind, lights falling back to that one button.

A dim, dark blue.

It was a vent system, leading into PSICOM, Public Safety and Intelligence Command, and the boy dropped down into the armory landing next to a sleeping guard in the normal full black armor of a gurnt, with neon yellow buff-mana running through it. The boy looked up through a white porcelain mask, to make sure the man wasn't awake.

Letting a small sigh of relief, the boy pulled a somewhat large rectangular object out of a shoulder sack, before changing the mana-batteries and picking up another and filling it up. He then stuffed some more into his pockets and bag. For later, he decided, because things may happen on the way out if he was unlucky. Plus a small pistol that barely fit into his hand.

Not like the guard was gonna miss it anyways.

In ten seconds, it was almost as if the boy was never there.

A few miles from the Sactum, a boy crawled out of a metal pipe that had been split open for a long time, judging by the rust.

"The slums of Linak. Fifteen minute ride to Bohdum by the eight hundred hour train... Gotta sell these mana-drives, first. Love the black market here in Linak." the boy grinned under his mask before taking it off and putting it into his shoulder sack.

A tanned and whiskered face revealed a cocky grin as a twelve year old dashed toward a shady building and came out, with a larger grin, shoulder sack filled with gil to the brim, threatening to burst.

"Too easy. Didn't even have to sell the second."

The boy skipped off toward a train station that was so sterile and clean that it seemed out of place in the stark, dark, and monotonous grey of the Linak slums. The train cut through Upper Linak, a place of festivity, lights, and sin. The gambling central of Cocoon. Where anything and everything illegal happened, meaning nobody would question how a twelve year old would come in with a military grade, hyper compressed, class two mana-drive system.

Besides, it wasn't as if PSICOM was using it right now anyways.

The old man was right, PSICOM was a bunch of rookie soldiers with extra training and pricier toys. Pricier toys that went boom. Big boom.

So much fun.

And even though it wasn't the Aeora Mana-Drive, as he really liked that branch of magic, he was more than happy to keep the Cura Mana-Drive. Accidents happen in his line of work.

Lucky for him that Bodhum was a fairly calm place when it wasn't the Summer Solstice Fireworks Festival. Not to say that it wasn't a popular tourist spot, since it offered the most beautiful beach in all of Cocoon. Lebreau's dad was always busy with his seaside inn/bar/café every day. Which was good for the girl, since it kept her kleptomaniac hands busy.

Yes, he trained her well.

He got a small percentage for teaching her, so better for him.

Arriving at the Bohdum station, Naruto walked off quickly, strapping the Mana-Drive to his forearm and going at a light jog toward the exit, weaving between the crowd of people, fingers flashing from pockets on occasion. The station was filled with people, nobody was going to be looking after their wallets twenty four seven.

"You're late."

The blond froze before turning around slowly.

"Ha, ha. Hi, Cla-"

"It's Lightning now, remember? Idiot."

"Aww, come on. I did say that I'd be later than normal."

"Two hours?"

"There was something interesting."

The pink haired girl sighed as she stopped leaning on the metal entrance to the train station. She thoughtlessly brushed a strand of hair out of her face, arm brushing over the sleeveless white dress-shirt of her school uniform, a loose red tie around her collar, and a pleated red and white plaid skirt fluttered in a light breeze.

"Oh? Do tell."

"Um… nevermind. It's nothing."

Lightning glared at the blond boy, her eyes staring into him.

"Come on. It wouldn't interest you at all. Boring stuff. Just an inscription about Fal'Cie and L'Cie. We've all heard the legends. We have more important things to do, _Lightning_-chan. It's Serah's birthday today! Let's go! I bet you Snow's distracted her enough."

He walked off as she followed, glare not lessening.

"I don't like him."

"Who, Snow? He's fine. Unless you got a thing against us orphans all of a sudden."

Her parents died about a year ago, leaving the Farron sisters orphans. They were well off enough so that should the girls live moderately, they could both get through school with money to spare and get respectable jobs. Lightning started shutting herself off around then and Naruto had taken it upon himself so that the girl wouldn't completely cut her emotions off, even though he could not prevent her from changing her name.

"No… it isn't that. Sorry."

"Don't apologize. We're all orphans right now whether we like it or not. At least you can still get through school unlike the rest of us. We were left with nothing, so you gotta be thankful for what you got."

She shrugged before walking faster to be next to the blond.

"I'm not even sure about school anymore. I hate that you keep doing this for us so that we can stay afloat. I don't even want to think about what kind of trouble you're getting into so that you can get us this kind of money."

"Then don't." the blond shrugged, rubbing the bottom of his nose with the flat of a finger. "It'll probably save you a lot of headache."

The two walked in silence after that and arrived at the beach before walking down to a large building by the beach: Whitecap Cup. There was a small bonfire on the beach, about six kids talking and laughing and chasing each other around the fire.

Snow Villiers and the thieving blond were close friends, having lived on the streets for the large portion of their lives. Snow wore a black bandanna that was supposed to have belonged to his mother and a long grey coat with sleeves too long for his arms. He seemed to take to taking care of Serah very well however, as he carried her on his shoulders and was running around, looking tired but happy.

Lightning quickly rushed over to reprimand him for doing such a thing so close to fire, of all things.

Some of the other orphans Maquis, Yuj, and Gadot were trying to act out a scene about the last Pulse and Cocoon war, to entertain Serah, although the three quickly broke out into a little brawl of sorts. Gadot, the largest and tallest of the three, quickly over powered the smaller blond and blunette, giving them the equivalent of sand-swirlies.

The thieving blond smiled. Life was good.

L'Cie, Fal'Cie, Cie'th... All are cursed... All must end... Lead me to Omega...

"Naruto... Naruto, wake up, you bum!"

"Argha..."

"Sis, don't be so mean."

"Mean? This is training, Serah. Look, he's getting up already."

"Shut up... my head hurts."

A lightly toned leg kicked me out of bed, and I tumbled into the carpeted ground.

"Dammit, Light-chan. That hurt."

"Whatever. We have to get to the Academy now. You and I are joining the military."

Now that got me up.

"Say wha?"

"Onee-chan! You were serious about that?" Serah cried out, dainty hands rising to her lips. "That's dangerous! You'll be hurt!"

Lightning turned to her, hands on jean-clad hips, a huff had a light rippling effect on the light grey sweater that she wore, "Of course."

"Yeah." I agreed jokingly, "Light-chan doesn't know how to joke."

"Shut up, you idiot!"

It must have pissed her off something fierce for her to kick me as hard as she did.

Lucky for me, Serah had breakfast ready, although she slyly told me that Light-chan _did_ help her prepare the food this morning. It was nice considering that most of the time I would be the one that had to do the cooking. Something about working for my room and board.

I think she just likes my cooking.

Light-chan practically dragged me off to go to the Academy as we boarded the train to their training facility near Bodhum. Just a ten minute ride, as the train was state-of-the-art, even though it was made for civilian usage.

The Academy was impressive enough, one of six that existed on Cocoon, a large dome building with metal spires that stuck out at points and a tall tower in the very center, looking all like a blazing metal sun.

The minimum age requirement to apply for soldier training was the age of thirteen. I turned thirteen not too long ago, my own birthday being just a few weeks after Serah's. According to Light-chan, the average trainee graduated in three or four years, and should we graduate, we'd be made members of the military for whatever division that we felt best fit us.

She wanted Bodhum Guardian Corps, so she could be able to support her sister's future alongside being close to home. I suppose that I would just follow. Not like I had any intention to leave the two anyways.

Still, what would Snow think?

Ah, whatever. Not worth getting into a headache about it.

But... that inscripted stone at PSICOM... I've never been able to get it out of my head since then. The Omega? What the heck was that?...

And my parents... I was told my parents had been important people in PSICOM by the old man before he died...

Gah... a headache, just like I predicted.

We were admitted easily enough, and giving training uniforms consisting of some tough cloth dyed grey and black to show we were currently less than grunts.

Less than the bottom of the barrel?

Joy.

First step: Physical Assessments.

A group of almost a few hundred teens, most looking as if they obviously would not make the cut, arrived at a large obstacle course of hurdles, monkey ladders, climbing rope, the works. An officer called out in a loud voice, telling us how we all had three tries to get through the obstacle course, and would all be going about a dozen at a time for practicality purposes. Machines at the beginning and at the end would time us and analyze how many times we messed up during the course itself.

I don't know about the rest of the group, but everything was easy.

Hey, I sneak into the PSICOM base by Linak. I think I can get through a measly obstacle course.

Lighting did very well too, but still had to go twice because the machines decided that her time wasn't good enough as she could not seem to walk over the muddy beam balance all too well.

Still, she was better than average, as it took most people all three tries to pass, cutting down the group into about a fourth of what it once was. Then we all just moved onto to strength and speed tests through sprints and weight lifting. I'll admit, I was actually surprised how strong Light-chan was. I knew that she packed a mean kick with her smooth, long legs, but, er...

Ignoring that.

Yeah... she was pretty strong and fast.

Everybody noticed my freakish strength though. I've always been strong, being able to lift things that people wouldn't expect from my lean build. Some blessing of Eden or the other I've been told. Apparently my natural strength was not unlike those of a l'Cie. One of the officers even said that it may have been fate that I came there to join the military. That last man was a lieutenant in the Bodhum Guardian Corps. Amo-something. He seemed to look forward to the possibility of us graduating and would help us eventually leave the Academy earlier than most.

It was pretty monotonous for the next few weeks, nothing but physical training and light combat training, forcing trainees to fight with blunted sword-sticks and aim training with a normal assault rifle.

I personally think that whatever redeemable and impressive aspects of me of me that existed in the eyes of my superiors died with the gun training.

I could not aim for my life.

Every time that I shot that damn thing, it kept landing to the right of the bulls eye from a few inches to a few feet, as if it was gravitating to the right as the bullets shot out. Sure, I got points for consistency, but my aim still sucked.

Light-chan really liked to rub my face in about that.

Swordplay I could do, naturally talented, they officers said. I could go head to head with some of the best instructors and do so when outnumbered by my peers. With a blade I just felt at ease, you know? It didn't matter if it was blunt, it was a sword nonetheless.

Some kid from a rich family named Uchiha Sasuke came close, but it annoyed the bastard to hell that he couldn't compare to my awesomeness. He too had a smugness about him when he realized that he was a much better shot than I was. The guy was better suited for a gun, for sure.

Still, as awesome as I was with a blade, the normal Guardian Corps soldier used gunblades so that they could be involved in both long and close range combat. I wasn't quite sure what I should do.

Near three months later, we got our hands on real weapons, weapons that we would live by and use for the rest of our military careers. It was important to be real familiar with a weapon so that no rookie in the field used a weapon that they were half proficient in. It wasn't practical or safe. Especially since there was no currently eminent threat from Pulse.

"Line up and pick a weapon!" a teacher/officer called out, "Make your decision wisely! If you choose your weapon poorly, you will suffer in the long run. Choose something that is fitting of your abilities. This is one of the few moments that we will trust your judgement."

Great.

Because I really needed pressure.

Light-chan dragged me into the armory, walking past rows of different guns, rifles, staffs, swords, until we reached the gunblade portion.

The gunblade is notoriously tricky and is known for its difficulty and long mastery time. It took years of training just to be able to use it proficiently. We had that kind of time. Still, most gunblade users were more than proficient in sword play and gun usage. The former I had in spades. The latter is what I missed.

Lightning was always an ambitious and driven girl. I was driven too, but mostly satisfied with what I had. She didn't even think before grabbing the Blazefire Saber, a gunblade meant to be used by only the best gunblade users. For the elite.

Typical Lightning.

That annoying bastard Sauke was there too, picking out a newer and slightly less known model known as the Chidori. He was a cold guy, and lacked personality, but he wasn't all to bad I supposed. I just really didn't like the way he eyed me and Light-chan sometimes. Like as if I was some sort of tool for measuring against and her for something that I couldn't feel angry for.

All the guy wanted was to get stronger. He had no further goal.

Ain't that pathetic?

As much as Light-chan tried to convince me to get a gunblade like she did in her own, aloof and slightly clumsy way, I really couldn't be all to sure if I should. Most weapons felt way to light for me because of my unnatural strength and even with he normally heavy gunblades, it just wasn't enough.

It was at that moment when I was trying to find a way to explain that I didn't really want a gunblade that I was pulled away from one of the overseers of the academy, a man named Wedge had thought me interesting, with my strength and all. He had a few grunts literally lift me up and carry me out to the second floor of the armory to his office. It was luck that made this happen really. The man got bored easily, as far as I could tell, and had his friend Biggs, who suffered a similar fate, make a gunblade of much larger than normal proportions, although the grip was of normal width, the handle simply being much longer.

Biggs was a weapons maker. Plain and simple, and the weapon he made for me really did suit his namesake. In blade mode at full extension, the blade was longer than my body was then, reaching a full six and a quarter feet, shaped like a large rectangular blade. The hilt itself was long as well, being a good two and a half feet in length and coming off like the hilt of a regular sword. In its gun, or cannon, the three of us decided was a better term, the blade shot in making the weapon seem like a gun-axe rather than a gunblade.

And the bullets?

I got to fire it into a solid metal cube at least three feet wide. The gun was big enough so that it had a miniature mana-drive system inside it. Yeah, that's right. Who has an awesome weapon? I do.

Awesome enough to fire magic railgun bullets that made a giant hole through the damn chunk o'steel... and through about half the Academy's inner walls... lucky nobody was hurt, eh?

Although it did get me into some trouble seeing as how soldiers burst into the office thinking that we were under attack. They all froze when the saw the three of us laughing like madmen at the destruction made by a single bullet. It appeared that Biggs had forgotten to put a limiter on the weapon, meaning I was going to learn how to control the strength of my bullets.

Only problem was I had to hold a modded trigger, which was really a large button on the top of the hilt/grip of the gunblade to fire, forcing me to squeeze my entire hand to fire the thing. Still, screw my aim. I can hit an inch right of bulls eye all the time if my bullets have a magically piercing radius of a foot, I'm gonna hit and I'm gonna pown.

So Lightning did kind of win in the end, and I paid for dinner that night.

Why do I always make sucker bets?

We graduated in about two and a half years, meaning that we could not have to worry about leaving Bodhum for too long for overnight training and the like. Light-chan and I hated those days when we left Serah at home. Usually we could have Lebreau take her in for the night, but we never felt comfortable doing so.

Light's parents trusted her to look after Serah, and me as an extension since they took me off the streets when the old man died. I owe them a lot. I can't just neglect that.

I also, well, really liked Lighting for the longest time and see Serah like a little sister... so I guess that also helped in me staying with the two for so long.

Although when Snow started showing that he was attracted to Serah, I wasn't sure what to think, really. We're sixteen/seventeen and shes fourteen now. Wasn't too sure if that's cool at the current moment. Especially since Lightning didn't seem to like Snow all that much.

But here is where our problem formed.

This is where we first walked separate paths.

"What do you mean you're going to go join PSICOM? I thought that we agreed that we were going to join the Bodhum Security Corps."

"No, that's what you wanted. I really want to go with you. I really do. But... I donno. I have to do this."

"Why?"

I sighed.

"I need to find something. My parents were both in PSICOM and I wanted to avoid the military for that reason, because it was a painful topic. But I didn't know anything about their death until a month ago... something happened in their time in PSICOM during the Purge fifteen years ago and I need to figure out what and why. They died during that Purge, even though the government stated that it was perfectly peaceful. Humane. I don't buy that crap. Something happened..." I could recall the inscription in the stone from three years ago. "Something doesn't add up."

I was going to get to the bottom of that mess, but there was no way I was going to drag Lightning into this, or any other precious person of mine. I told myself that if I had to shut my heart away to protect her, I would do it.

"I just have to know. Ever since I got to the Academy, it's been eating away at me, no matter how much I tried to ignore it. PSICOM holds all the intel, Guardian Corps data would only get me so far. I refuse to let an opportunity like this go."

She stared at me with her strong aqua eyes, glaring into my own azure blue.

"What about Serah? Or that idiot Snow and his group of amateur monster hunters, huh? What... what about me?"

"Right now, this takes priority... Even over you."

Fal'Cie, that hurt to say.

"Fine... Go then, to your stupid PSICOM. See if I care."

She turned to leave, leaving me by the docks of Bodhum, her new green metal pauldron with a lone yellow stripe marking her as a first class private, her white sleeveless overcoat new and stiff over her back.

"L-Light-ch-"

"Don't! I... I don't want to see you again."

Her words were like a bullet through my heart from her Blazefire Saber.

I guess... that nothing ever goes as planned.

I told myself that it was for the best, but pain didn't leave me.

I look back on that day, even now, wondering...

What if I had joined the Corps like she had.

Would we have gotten together anyways? Or would I have never told her about my feelings, and she never telling me about hers, in fear of risking our very important friendship? Even though now that friendship was broken, likely to never be fixed?

I don't know.

But maybe it was for the best.

I didn't go back to the Farron house that day, not even to pick up my stuff. Just the clothes on my back, my gunblade, the King Saul, slung in a holster across my back, and letters of goodbye and apology to all of the friends I had made.

Snow and his friends in NORA, an amateur monster hunting group to protect the people of Bodhum in their own way each got their own letters, Serah got one as well, Wedge and Biggs had one each as well, and they secretly agreed to slip some 'failed' prototype weapons to NORA for a favor.

For Lightning... I left a little present on top of her bed. She could try to keep me out of her room all she wanted, I was number one in trap-making and stealth in the Academy. She wasn't going to keep me out if I really wanted to get in. In that present was a small scrapbook that I had been making over the years since I've been with her and Serah. Wrapped in a dark orange-red cape.

Target's a target. I fight blind, but I will protect Cocoon with my life, for I am a Guardian.

It's ten days, I think. Ten days until the Summer Solstice.

It's been... almost three years since he left.

I still regret that day. Maybe if I had been more honest about my feelings, he wouldn't have left.

Who am I kidding? That blond idiot had the stubbornness of an old chocobo.

Still. Would it kill him to write?

...I couldn't have hurt him so much that he didn't want to even think about me, right?

I sighed as I leaned back further into the bath, my hair wrapped in a towel to keep it out of the water. I missed him. I hated him.

Maybe I... l-liked him?

Argh! Annoying blond! All blonds are so annoying!

His absence affected everybody more than predicted by Naruto himself, I think.

That idiot Snow became a bit more like our missing friend, becoming more loud and more brash. The guy had some sort of insane idea in his head that he was a hero. Channelling Naruto in his childhood far as I could tell. The rest of his group, NORA, was well known to Bodhum, because they managed to get their hands on military grade gear. Nobody knows how, but they just did. Naruto probably had something to do with it. Crazy Captain Wedge and his weapon designing friend Biggs.

Serah had cried as much as I did that day, if not more. Naruto was really like a brother and she had worked up a big dinner to say goodbye. The bastard didn't even come to pick up his things, although I'm shamed to admit it was probably my fault. They were still there in his room, Serah and I just go in there to clean out the dust a little. We keep things as they were for the most part though. Sometimes its as if he never left.

I stopped crying after that day, though.

Tears wouldn't bring him back.

Ten days later, hope rose in my chest.

It was during the midst of the annual fireworks, the ones that are supposed to grant wishes.

I know it was childish and unprofessional of me, but I wished that I could see him again. Be able to talk to him, like our childish argument never happened. At the very least I wanted the opportunity to apologize.

"Isn't that childish of you, Sargent? Wishing on fireworks, eh? Never took you for a romantic."

"Lieutenant Amodar, sir!"

"At ease, at ease. We're here to relax. I hear that you're taking the day off tomorrow."

"Sir, yes sir." I said, trying to make polite, meaningful conversation without screwing over my job. Amodar was known to be kind, yet strict. "My sister insisted on it, sir. It's my birthday tomorrow, you see..."

"Mmm. Good, good. You should take the rest of the week off while you're at it. You've got reason to celebrate. I'm going to turn in that letter of recommendation for your promotion in tomorrow. Think of it as my birthday gift, eh? You're past due for a promotion, anyways."

"Sir! Thank you, sir."

"Calm down," the large man said, laughing merrily, his pauldrons with twin red stripes, shaking in mirth. "You need to learn to wind down when you're not on duty."

"Sorry, sir."

Amodar laughed again before being entranced himself at the fireworks, giving large exclamations and cries of joy.

However, I was more distracted by uniformed PSICOM troops lurking around.

"PSICOM?..."

Had my wish... come true?

"Ah, about that. PSICOM found something in the Pulse Vestige. They aren't sure what it is, but they don't want the GC on their toes, so we're being told to stand down. It's their show. Don't annoy them."

"I had... a friend that entered PSICOM to learn more about his parents..."

"Hmm? That Naruto kid from the Academy, eh? Didn't the boy have a huge a crush on you?"

I hid the blush that rose to my cheeks the best I could, a hand, one hand grasping my cape in remembrance.

"Y-yes, him. I was wish- I mean, wondering, er... do you know if he's in this group of PSICOM?"

"Hm? You don't know? That Naruto kid already made Major. Talented kid that one. Working with some other guy named Sasuke Uchiha, who graduated a year after you two. Heard that it was difficult for him to pass the mental stability test, but the boy's a Captain now, so I'm presuming that something changed the guy. Geez. You youngsters rise fast in the ranks nowdays. I feel older than ever."

"Please, sir. Do you know if Naruto is in charge of the operation? It has something to do with that energy plant six days ago, I know that. But, do you know who's at the head of the operation?"

"Sorry. No hair nor hide of the name of the leader of the operation. Sorry, Lightning."

"No." I shook my head. "It's alright. I suppose that these fireworks... are nothing more than fireworks after all."

"Eh? Come on, now. Believe a little, eh? You don't trust in true love and all that?"

He shook his head and I felt almost like a child again. Lieutenant Amodar was always a powerful figure from the beginning.

I wasn't too surprised at the information I had recieved, but I couldn't help feel... dissapointed.

"Your birthday is tomorrow, eh? Head home soon. Have a good day tomorrow."

Oh how far from the truth he was.

The next day, my sister Serah, told me that she was a L'Cie and was going to marry Snow.

I thought it was a joke.

It wasn't.

That day they found there was a Pulse Fal'Cie in the Vestige by Bodhum and was going to Purge the entire city. Thinking about the Purge brought up Naruto.

Would he be a part of it? To purge the city he once called home?

It's been a day after my birthday, two days after the festival, and thirteen days when all this sudden reminiscing began...

Doesn't matter now, I guess.

The Fal'Cie took Serah. I'm going to get her back.

I armed up, slinging my Blazefire into it's hanging holster, Grav-con Unit at the ready.

I was gonna get Purged.

It was the only way I was going to be able to get to Serah, and I was going to take it.

I'm a Hero... and a Hero doesn't need to make a plan!

Yeah, I'm reckless, I get that a lot.

Having untrained volunteers try and fight professional soldiers with real training and bigger guns and weapons was probably a bad idea.

My hands shook. One of them, some kid's mother had saved my sorry ass when I screwed up tyring to look cool and heroic. But I had hoped that things would work out in the end.

It didn't.

She died telling me to take some guy home, her hand slipping from mine, her body lost somewhere in the lake below us.

Who? Her son? Husband? Brother? Nephew?

Where?

How?...

I shook my head. What's done is done and I can't change it.

I wondered what Lightning was doing. If she was even trying to do anything to save her own sister, the one that her parents asked her to protect on their deathbed. I wasn't sure anymore. Naruto's absence and her becoming a soldier had made her cold and somewhat unfeeling and aloof at times.

So was Naruto, a soldier I mean, and I hear he's some big-shot in the PSICOM division now.

I really hoped that he hadn't grown so low that he would come back and Purge his own hometown.

Or at least have lost his humanity like the rest of PSICOM seemed to have.

It didn't matter now. I was finally in the Pulse vestige, I had to find the Fal'Cie and get it too free Serah, or at least tell us what the heck her focus was.

Or I was gonna die trying.

"Serah! Your hero's coming to save you, baby!"

L'Cie, Fal'Cie, Cie'th... All are cursed... All must end... Lead me to Omega...

"Anima, huh? The Fal'Cie from Pulse... how dare you touch my precious people..."

"Hey, dead-last. Don't lose your head. Remember our mission."

"I know, Sasuke-teme. Lighten up... but this bastard is still going to pay for touching Serah."

I slung King Saul from its holster strapped across my back. Another holster was crossed under it, holding another gunblade of equal size.

"Let's help these poor kiddies kill this Fal'Cie bastard."

"Yes, _sir_, Mr. Major, _sir_."

"Don't mock me." I growled as I fired, a powerful blast shooting from my heavily modded gunblade, the magic bullet shattering a metal drill-arm of the Fal'Cie Anima, spraying the powerful creature with shrapnel from its own arm.

A group of five people turned quickly to face us, surprise on their face as the arm about to crush an older black man and a young silver haired teen in two.

Sasuke in his special blue and black uniform with silver trim pulled out his Chidori, the blue and silver gunblade shifting into its melee form as he dashed at Anima, Lightning magic coating the blade and the Uchiha swung, forming a large crack in the Fal'Cie's crystal heart.

I forced myself to tear my eyes away from Lightning's mature figure and shocked eyes as I too charged to meet Anima head on, my blade stopping the remaining arm from nailing her and Snow.

"What the hell are civilians and a GC doing here?" I yelled in frustration, the arm threatening to topple me back into my childhood friends. "If you're gonna be dead weight, run!"

"Screw that!" Snow yelled back, "You PSICOM are half the reason we're here!"

A burst of mana from King Saul propelled the arm back before Sasuke began hacking away at it with his Chidori.

"This is PSICOM jurisdiction!" I argued back, trying to keep my facade as an uncaring PSICOM officer from under my helmet. "That puts you under my authority so help me put this thing down! Looked like that was what you were trying to, anyways."

I turned to the Fal'Cie again, seeing the crystal beginning to reform as it charged up mana.

"Shit! Aereoga!"

A burst of terrific wind exploded from my body trying to uproot the crystal and the metal arms from the Fal'Cie's body.

"It's open! Attack!" I cried and bullets rained down, sharp blades struck, fists pounded, and I even saw a boomerang and whip-like weapons rain metallic hell onto the Fal'Cie.

Then it exploded in a bright light, our world turning into darkness as tendrils of iron and steel lashed out, holding us in the empty space as Anima seemed to evolve into a fierce looking warrior in black armor, a gauss green glow surrounding it.

Images flashed through our minds and more tendrils lashed out, stabbing into all of us, yet doing no damage.

I groaned in pain as magic was pumped into me, as it did with all the others.

Nobody would leave without a L'Cie brand.

We lost consciousness one by one as we seemed to fall in the darkness as unseen explosions seemed to shake the very air around us. Seeing my Lightning fall next to me, eyes shut and body unmoving, I grabbed her and held her to me, poising my body to take whatever damage would be inflicted from our falling.

I pulled out all the mana I could from my L'Cie brand, forcing it in front of all of us who were falling, the raw mana acting like a giant Grav-con unit.

I only hoped that it was enough as my own consciousness ebbed from my mind, my vision blurring.

"I'm not leaving this time, Light-chan. I'll protect you..."

End

So tell me what you think! I've been debating about putting this online for a while now, but I wasn't very sure if I should. I decided, why the hell not. It can be a oneshot if I don't feel like continuing it or let somebody else take over or something, I guess.

Review!

With love,

KSLCross


	2. Awakening at Bresha

AN: That's a good amount of reviews for the first chapter. Glad so many of you enjoyed it. So this story will continue, although I cannot guarantee a steady uploading speed. Drama production, college apps, school, and trying to figure out my feelings for a few girls I know, people. Not fun stuff. Well, except the very first.

Disclaimer: Herp derp. Potatoe. You all lost THE GAME.

Begin!

For my son... I'll pay any price... Just give back my son...

"Ugh. What hit me?..."

A boot roughly found itself in my ribs, flipping me onto my back, forcing me to wake up. My eyes were still blurred from recovering back my first fal'Cie induced concussion or whatever it was that made my head ring.

"Hey, get up, old timer. Yeesh. What were so many civvies doing in the Pulse Vestige? For Eden's sake..."

Hey... wasn't that one of the PSICOM officers that arrived in the Vestige with us?

This wasn't good... he better not have been with Colonel Naabat...

Ah man... that lady's going to kill me!

"Serah!" I heard the young blond man cry out, likely just awakening himself. With groggy eyes I could see him get up before examining our surroundings with panic in his eyes, looking for his precious Serah who we had seen turn to crystal before our eyes.

All of Lake Bresha had been turned to crystal, the waves, the foam that had been churned up by the water when the Vestige likely crashed into the lake, all of it. It was breathtakingly horrifying.

I gaped as the blond, Snow, I recall, did his imitation of a goldfish alongside me.

"Is this... for real?..." he muttered, disbelieving.

"You bet it is. All the water of Lake Bresha has been crystallized. Looks like Anima wanted to do more damage Cocoon by getting rid of one of its largest sources of water. Damn, this is going to have serious repercussions for Cocoon. A fifth of the water supply is in this lake alone." the PSICOM officer with the oversized gunblade sighed.

What, was he compensating for something?

...Not that I'd ever ask that to they boy's face of course...

"S-so you're saying that this must be Lake Bresha? I guess we fell from up there and the lake turned to crystal?" I asked out loud, looking up at the green fogged sky.

Orange eyes from the officer's PSICOM mask stared at me blankly, but I could _feel_ the look of, 'No, really?' from behind it.

"I'm saying that it _was_ Lake Bresha. Now it's one giant hunk of crystal." He scuffed his heavy boot against the surface of the crystal, "Not even ice. Geez, Cocoon is in for one hell of a water shortage."

"Ugh. Major, sir. Are you alright?"

The other PSICOM officer had just gotten up and I could recognize the uniform that he wore. Only some of the more elite in PSICOM ever grew past the status of a footsoldier, even fewer getting a position of anything higher than a lieutenant. The man had the Uchiha Fan stitched onto his right shoulder.

Damn.

PSICOM nobility?

There were four letters in red under that red and white fan.

ANBU.

Shit... these two must have been top of the line... and the one with the overly large gunblades was a major?

ANBU were the best of the best in PSICOM and no matter what rank you were, once you got into ANBU, you were demoted to the status of a private, although an ANBU private had more pull than a regular PSICOM lieutenant... and this man was a major... if he was in ANBU...

An ANBU major...

He could probably kill us all without even trying.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Captain. Don't worry yourself. Need healing?"

"Negative, sir. I'll be just fine." the captain stood up, brushing himself off and checking his equipment. "How are the civilians?"

"They'll be fine, it seems." the major PSICOM responded. He too had the ANBU insignia. "They're tougher now than they ever were."

"You mean..."

"Yup."

"Well this complicates things..." the Uchiha soldier mused.

"Hey, what's going on! Did the fal'Cie do this? Somebody explain to me what the heck is happening!" I panicked, I admit it. I didn't understand anything that seemed to be going on here. I turned to Lightning, the GC soldier that I had followed into the Vestige and she turned away from me with a frown on her face.

"How should I know?" she responded, almost emotionlessly before drawing her gunblade.

She glared at the two ANBU PSICOM officers expectantly, ready for any possible signs of aggression.

The major who was dressed in a red, armored overcoat PSICOM uniform with black flames licking the bottom edges laughed, throwing his helmeted head back, the metal armor looking suddenly more vulpine.

"You gonna fight me, GC? That would be interesting."

"Guys! We shouldn't fight! Shouldn't we be more glad that we're alive?" a young redheaded teen, Vanille, I think, cried out.

She had on this sort of skimpy tribal clothing that I wasn't really sure if it counted as such. Clothing, I mean. It was more of patched furs and leather linked with beads more than anything.

"I think the more important thing is how we survived that fall." I spoke up, getting a few glares, making me suddenly feel very self-concious. "W-what? Can't let an old man babble?"

The little chocobo chick in my afro stuck out its little head before shaking and popping back in.

"Serah! It must have been Serah that saved us! Nobody survives a fall that high, not without a miracle. Serah saved us!"

Guess who that was...

Unfortunately, that got Lightning's attention and, well, Pulse hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Target's a target. I fight blind, but I will protect Cocoon with my life, for I am a Guardian.

"Serah?" how dare he... how dare he utter her name after what had happened... "Listen, it's all your fault she got-"

"Hey, hey, hey, hey!" Sazh called out, almost tripping as he dashed to his right, although hid did slip a little, "We got bigger things to worry about! Like that Cie'th over there!"

I turned around to see that a large, blue and black, metal and crystal Cie'th had appeared, seemingly out of nowhere and was about to strike me. For the first time in my life, I really froze when this monstrous Cie'th towered over me, arm raised and poised to crush me into the crystal lake.

"Watch out!" Snow cried out, getting in front of me before crossing his arms over his head to block a crushing blow from the Cie'th, knees buckling slightly. He grunted as he tossed up the metal arm, before _something_ on his arm glowed and a flash of silvery-blue shot out, making the monster fly back.

A brand... a l'Cie brand...

Oh Eden... we were all l'Cie, weren't we?

There was a resounding crunch as it landed, unmoving.

I grasped the part above my left breast, where my brand was located.

I was just like Serah... cursed...

"Man... white boy got some power right there..." Sazh mumbled from behind me, but that wasn't what had us all shocked.

"What did I... just do?" Snow stared at the glowing mark on his forearm, eyes wide.

"You used magic!" the silver haired teen spoke up, standing finally. About time he got up from his fetal position. Such a child...

"You used the power of l'Cie!" he continued as more Cie'th closed in on us, "The fal'Cie cursed us, we're l'Cie now! All of us!"

I shifted my gunblade from its gun form to its blade form.

"Right."

Whether I was a l'Cie or not, there was no way that I could permit myself to die here!

The Cie'th in front of us got up as two fellow Cie'th jumped down from a high ledge made by a crystal wave.

"Yeesh. Some predicament that we've gotten in..." the PSICOM with the large gunblades groaned as he walked forward, drawing his blade. I thought that Naruto was the only one with a gunblade that big... but apparently not, since this man had two of them. "Well, looks like we have to kick some Cie'th butt together, eh? Somehow, I'm not really sure if PSICOM would accept a Pulse l'Cie back into their ranks."

A powerful gunshot took down one easily as three more flanked us from our left. Four more approached from our right.

Maybe Naruto gained two blades?... or perhaps he was given some experiment to make him stronger. I hear that Orochimaru of PSICOM had done things to himself that a normal man would die from to make himself stronger.

"Major! I'll hit up the ones on our nine! You there, the old man and the kid with the boomerang, help me put these bastards out of their misery!"

"I'm only forty! That ain't so old, boy."

The silver haired boy only shook nervously as he drew his high tech boomerang.

Wait, a major? Could... could he really be Naruto?

Why couldn't I seem to get my mind off of him? Even when my life is in danger... and he isn't here to help me, to save me, like he had always promised to?

Dammit!

I fired off a orb of magic, called 'Ruin' I instinctively knew, at the Cie'th that the PSICOM major had shot down, knocking it down again as it was attempting to get back up. It finally fell with a groan, body fading away into raw mana.

"Charge!"

Snow flung bolt after bolt of Blizzard spells at one of the before getting in close, punching away at the Cie'th. He pulled out two metal gauntlets from inside his large coat before slipping them off as he shook his hands which must have hurt from bashing into metal. When he was attacked he quickly picked up this yellow glow, Steelguard, that seemed to turn the damage into practically nothing.

I sidestepped the vertical swing from another Cie'th, dashing around and cutting at the monster from behind before firing off two more Ruin spells at it. It groaned in pain, but a few, well placed attacks had it trying to keep its distance.

As I fought my own Cie'th, I could see the red, black, and orange PSICOM officer weaving between the four that had approached from our right, wielding both of his large, heavy gunblades like a graceful dancer, bullets of mana and the blades of heavy steel mowing down his enemies.

He vaulted over a wide sideswing before cutting off one arm at the elbow, backflipping as he turned both gunblandes into their gun form and blasted the decapitated one into shrapnel and launching himself up further in the air.

A sommersault in the air and he landed back down, gunblades in sword form bifucerating two Cie't down the middle from top to bottom.

Then the remaining one got a lucky blow in as a large metal-crystal arm smashed into his helmet before it was sliced up into four or five pieces by a quick spinning attack. The Blitz technique. Once again the knowlege came to me by instinct, I noted as that Cie'th faded into mana, just like the rest of them had been.

"Son of a bitch!" the PSICOM major growled as an Aeroga blew up three more Cie'th that had been approaching our six up into the air harshly before he leaped up and separated the bodies of the last three into large quartets before landing on his feet, and putting away his weapons, pulling at his now deformed helmet, trying to pry it off, as the abnormal shape threatened to cutt off his air supply.

I turned around quickly to finish my own Cie'th with minimal help from the red haired girl, her whip-staff distracting the Cie'th enough so I could get a decisive blow.

I heard the sound of tearing metal as the helmet gave way to the opposing pull of two powerful arms. Turning my head, my breath caught in my chest as I saw familiar blond locks and whiskered face.

"...Naruto?..."

Power... I need more power... But how much will I give for it?

"Geez... even if we were turned to l'Cie, we weren't supposed to blow our cover, you dead-last." I called over to my best friend as the group gathered again.

"Oh, shut up, Sasuke, you emo-bastard. Like you've ever listened to rules. You know how many demerits the two of us have gotten because of you?"

"Ha. Like I care. The only reason I even called you 'sir' was because you were acting in a position of authority until now. Dumbasses can really only appear to be cool for so long. I knew you'd fuck up eventually."

Lightning, the hot and powerful girl, now woman, from the Academy gave me a bone-chilling glare that I didnt' think even my fire magic could overcome. Then she turned to Naruto with an even harsher glare, the other blond, Snow, staring at him in disbelief.

"Naruto... is that you?..."

"Uh... hi?"

He flinched as he dodged a bullet from Lightning's Blazefire Sabre.

"You don't write, you don't call, and now you come three years later in front of me during the middle of a Purge that's happening to OUR HOMETOWN? How dare you? You scum!"

She fired again, Naruto landed backwards on his butt. She fired again and he shifted awkwardly as it hit the crystal ground, a bit too close to his nether regions for comfort.

"Come on, Light-chan... I wasn't even part of the Purge group! I defected for Eden's sake! Cut me some slack!"

"D-defected? Shit, boy, that's serious! You're a major in PSICOM's ANBU division! You probably know a lot of classified stuff! They're going to be hunting you down if you didn't quit the normal way!" The old black geezer cried out in fear, pulling at the sleeves of his green and yellow coat. An ugly coat.

One I wanted to burn.

"Like it matters. He would have 'disappeared' about a month after quitting in the position he was placed in anyways." I spoke up, in support of the man that I unfortunately called my best friend. "He got neck deep in a bunch of old secrets that PSICOM kept hidden from the Purge previous to this one, the one about eighteen years ago. Our superiors only let it go since he was such a strong figure in ANBU, but now that he defected, well, only Eden knows what'll happen next... I still can't believe how you somehow coerced me into defecting with you."

"I guess the rumors in ANBU were true then. You are gay for me."

"...Wanna die, dead-last?"

He stuck out his tongue at me childishly before freezing as Lightning's blade flicked forward, the tip of the gunblade pressing lightly into his tongue's tip, close to drawing blood.

"Is that true? Did you really defect?"

"Do I look like I'm lying to you? Besides, we're all l'Cie now! Like the other PSICOM soldiers are going to care whether I was once one of them or not. We're all targets to them! I've gone through their training and most soldiers come out as mindless robots. That's what happens when you make a hardass like General Danzo in charge of training. But do I look like one of those heartless bastards to you?"

Snow, however, seemed to only be absorbed in his glowing l'Cie brand which was slowly losing its glow again, returning to its natural black and red.

"So we really are l'Cie..." he murmured quite loudly. Maybe a little fire would snap him out of his funk?

Sazh looked at the brand which was only half seen from his black undershirt.

"Looks like it." he agreed sadly.

I grunted, or 'hn'-ed as Naruto puts it, and looked at the teenaged girl and boy.

"Hey. You runts branded too?" I asked, taking off my helmet.

Since I wasn't PSICOM, I didn't see the need to pretend I was a part of it anymore. I never liked the helmet to begin with. It gives me the strangest helmet hair and makes my hair look like a chocobo's butt... I refuse to believe Naruto and that it looks like such all the time.

Vanille nodded before pulling up her fur skirt lightly with a long, elegant finger, the brand on the side of her left thigh showing much more clearly. Man, those legs were nice...

Wonder if she needs a man in her life.

"Okay." Snow sweatdropped. "It's official. The fal'Cie are twisted bastards, for sure."

"Hn. Perverts too, by the look of it."

"L'Cie to the last." Lightning agreed, sheathing her sword and turning toward us, resulting in the release of a deep breath from Naruto. The blade must have been pressed rather firmly into his tongue since he cast a discreet Cure spell on himself.

Wussy dead-last.

Hope fell to his knees, hand grasping his l'Cie brand.

"Why me?..." he whimpered, before suddenly grabbing on to anger as his anchor to reality, snapping at Lightning, "I don't even know you! But you had to go attack that thing? Just leave me alone!"

Now his anger turned on Snow.

"It's your fault... it's your fault my... you could've... ALL THIS IS YOUR AND SERAH'S FAULT!"

Not smart... what was this kid smoking? I mean, really?

...I could probably use some of that...

Snow had growled at him menacingly, "Watch it!" the tall blond barked at Hope, making the teen fall back and crawl backward on his butt before colliding with Lightning's leg, the pinkette not looking at all amused.

Naruto had gone as far as to get up and pick the silver haired teen up by the collar of his jacket, making him struggle to be let free, Naruto's killing intent focusing on the poor kid, making him begin to hyperventilate.

"Don't you dare say that about Serah-imouto. If you ever, even utter, one more bad thing about her in my presence, I will break you, _boy_."

"Hey, Naruto, lay off the kid."

"Shut up, Sasuke. Nobody messes with my precious people and gets away with it."

Dammit, he's forgetting about our Focus in his anger.

"Didn't you just say it yourself? We're all l'Cie now. Let's at least try to get along."

I can't believe I'm being forced to say something like this...

"I agree with the Uchiha guy." Sazh agreed, his chocobo chick chirping happily as it fluttered around his head. "Fighting amongst ourselves is gettin' us nowheres fast."

Naruto dropped the boy who got back into a fetal position, covering his head with his hands as he shook from Naruto's killing intent. Vanille did her best to comfort him, although I didn't think it was enough to get through to him.

I've been on the receiving end of Naruto's killing intent when I've done some pretty asshole-ish things myself. It wasn't pleasant, that's for sure.

I shook my head as Vanille began dragging Hope off to try to cheer him up again. Something about her was off... like it didn't quite add up... perhaps I was being too paranoid?

Then again, paranoia had saved my life more than once.

Yeah.

That and fire.

Lots and lots of fire... there were few things that fire couldn't fix.

"I'll make sure they don't get themselves killed." I groaned as Sazh followed with a sigh, agreeing to do the same.

Snow, Naruto, and Lightning stayed behind, each staring at each other.

I hoped that this would end well, otherwise it was going to be either Lightning and Snow's or Naruto's remains we were going to have to clean from the crystal lake surface.

L'Cie. Fal'Cie. Cie'th... All are cursed... All must end... Lead me to Omega...

"So... this is awkward..."

Snow slugged me in the face.

"Snow!" Lightning cried out in surprise.

"Man... that the Pneumatic Gauntlets that Biggs and Wedge were working on?"

He helped me up by grabbing my hand, the powerful guantlets' grip almost crushing the poor bones in my right hand.

"Yeah. They said that you were doing them a favor in exchange for arming NORA. Thanks for that by the way."

"Well you're we-"

He slugged me again with his other hand, letting me fall to the ground again.

Dammit.

I think he dislocated my jaw.

Thank god for the Medic l'Cie role.

"The first was for leaving for three years without telling us anything but the bullshit in your letter. You didn't even talk to us face to face and you didn't even start contacting us... the second one is for being late in coming to help save Serah."

"Ackpt." I spit out some blood as my cheek had cut itself on my teeth with the second punch. I healed myself up with a simple Cure spell. "Ok... I deserved that and probably more."

Snow shrugged.

"Yeah, but we need you. I'm going to beat you up more later."

"What, that a promise now, Snow?"

"Yeah, that means you have to stay alive until then. Got it?"

I laughed, even with the current soreness in my jawbone.

"Aight, aight. Yeesh. I'm a bigshot in PSICOM, or I was, at least. You should have a little more faith in me."

"Hah! The army's no match for NORA!"

I rubbed a pinkey in my ear.

"Hm? You say something Snow?"

"...You've officially gotten more annoying than when you teased me about liking Serah."

"Meh. I try."

Lightning just glared at the two of us.

"Men." she scoffed, somewhat in disbelief about what she just saw, "So quick to forgive. You're not off the hook yet in my book, Naruto."

"Called it."

"Shut up, Snow."

"...Doesn't change the fact that I called it."

He ran off, following the rest of the group as he dodged a half-hearted kick. I guess even after time, somethings don't change.

But...

I looked at Lightning again, discreetly taking in her figure now... some things on the other hand _really_ change.

"So... I see you're wearing the cape. I knew you'd fall prey to the awesomeness that is orange."

"...You really haven't outgrown that phase?"

"Aw... you mad?"

"Yes, I'm mad. For the stupid situation I've been placed it and because it took you so long to come back."

"So you did miss me!"

"As much as one misses maggots growing on their flesh."

H-how harsh...

"Look, Light-chan, I'm sorry, but there was no way that I was going to get you involved in my mess. If some of the higher ups in PSICOM even knew that I was talking to you two, or anybody else for that matter, you would have been shipped off to who knows where to be used as leverage against me."

"I don't care. What, you think that people would have not noticed something fishy if I just disappeared?"

"And you think that nobody in the remaining half of Bodhum really cares that half the town was Purged? They're more busy trying to keep the fire away from their own asses!"

Lightning slapped me in the face, saying nothing, before she turned around, walking off to join the rest of the group again.

"...She's changed less than I thought that she would have." I sighed, rubbing at my now burning cheek, "When faced with unfortunate truths, she can still do nothing but walk away... but did she really havta slap me?... Man, this is going to be so troublesome. Where's a Nara when you need one? I'm sure Shikamaru would know what the hell I needed to do to get out of this mess, but nooooo. He's going to be off doing something lazy with Kakashi or sleeping around with Temari."

I made up the gap between me and the rest of the group with a brisk walking pace.

Snow, Sazh, and Lightning had taken point, way in the front, past what was logically safe, and Sasuke in the rear. He heard me even with my silent gait, damn those almost elfish ears of his, and smirked at the red handprint on my face.

"I see who wears the pants in your relationship."

"Shut up, Sasuke. Like you and Karin are any better. Well, then again you're getting dirty with Naabat..."

"...Low blow. She's crystal now. Besides, I was already in a polygamous relationship."

"Yeah, yeah. As if yours was much higher, you emo-man-whore."

"...Touché... They suspect anything?"

"Not yet. It'll take them a while to remember their Focus as well. You might want to stick with the lower tier Ravager spells. I think that I might have taken it too far with my Aeroga."

"You suck. I'm a good Commando, but a Ravager is what I do."

"Shut up. That's just because you can use practically every element. My individual spells are stronger than yours."

Sasuke snorted.

"Whatever. Don't change the subject. At least I'm not the one that got bitch slapped in the face."

Why was he one of my best friends again?

Stupid arsonist.

"Teme!"

"Dobe!"

I'm a Hero... and a Hero doesn't need to make a plan!

"A l'Cie, huh..."

"Yup." Sazh spoke as he played with the chocobo chick in his hands, "Looks like we're all playing for Team Pulse now. Grah! Why me?"

"That's how the cookie crumbles, I guess. We just got seriously shafted."

"You can say that again."

Lake Bresha was a wonderful sight in its crystal state, looking as if the whole lake was just frozen in time, like the most realistic hologram-photo on the face of Cocoon. I really wished that Serah could see it. She would have loved this sight.

Sazh looked back at Lightning whose brisk pace had her pass by us fairly quickly as she took point over us.

"Trust a soldier to keep her cool through this mess."

I couldn't help but to laugh at the older man.

"It's not even that she's a soldier. I think that it's just who she is as a person... To be honest she got turned into more of a hardass when Naruto left, really... Ah geez... I'da decked the guy harder, but we really need him in this situation..."

"You stupid, boy? The guy's in ANBU! That's the black ops unit of PSICOM! The elite of elites! And he made major at his age? You lucky the boy didn't cut you in half."

I scoffed as we walked down the slope of a frozen wave.

"Nah. We're like extended cousins, some people a few times removed down the family tree. My mom's last name was Senju which was a royal military family, but she eloped for love. And Uzumaki's and Senju's are pretty closely related. So he's probably my distant cousin or something. There are few of us left, too. Doubt that he'd commit homicide on us."

"You sure? I've met a few ANBU before. Nutjobs, all of 'em."

"You do realize that the two of us can hear you, right, old geezer?"

"I'm not that old, Uchiha-kid! Cut your hair, you look like the back end of a black chocobo."

"...That's it, he dies."

"Hah! Told you so, Sasuke-teme!"

"...Right after I kill you!"

Lightning shook her head in front of us.

"Men." she scoffed, my ears barely catching her speak.

We stopped at the bottom of the slope again as Lightning voiced a worry that I'm sure none of us forgot.

"Okay, if we don't know our Focus, how do we complete it?"

Mmm. That's true.

It was, Vanille who replied to that, surprising the rest of us.

"I think... I saw it..."

"Saw what?" Lighting asked, turning toward the younger girl.

"Well that is what a Focus comes down to people." Sazh spoke softly in exasperation, "The fal'Cie? They don't spell it out with clear-cut instructions. All you get is a hazy glimpse."

He got all self-concious again as we all stared at him.

"W-well, that's what they say. You know, legends and all."

I want to know where he heard those legends, because I've never heard that before myself, to be frank. Something was fishy about this whole ordeal.

Or maybe I was getting paranoid after turning into a l'Cie?

Nah, heroes don't need paranoia. We've got awesome on our side.

Lighting turned to Hope with some apathy.

"Did you see anything?"

"I, uh, I just... It's kinda foggy and all, but... I saw this big, no, this _towering_-"

"W-w-wait a minute." Sazh interrupted as we came to an epiphany, "Hold on now, y'all. Did we _all_ have the same dream? This is ridiculous, man."

"Yeah. The Omega. The beast of the end. The destroyer and the great devourer of Cocoon, the thing that my parents were killed for looking into." Naruto spoke up behind us, making us all turn around and face him, "We've all been seriously boned. What you all saw was the one thing that can destroy a fal'Cie forever and ever. Ragnarok."

Ragnarok?

Shit. We really drew the short straw this time.

End!

Hey, hope you enjoyed, y'all!

And yes, Sasuke is going to have arson problems. Maybe a little schitzo to boot.

REVIEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

With love,

KSLCross


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